Smugglers' Cove

Leo Gorcey comes to the mistaken conclusion that he has inherited an estate on Long Island's North Shore; actually, it is series semi-regular Paul Harvey, also named 'Terence Mahoney' who has done so. They all wind up at the house where diamond smuggler Martin Kosleck has set up shot. The usual low hijinx ensue.

The Bowery Boys movies are held in disesteem by serious cineastes, and there's no sensible way to elevate them to high art -- although the same thing can be said about the Lemmy Caution movies, which didn't stop the New Wave. Cheaply made, formulaically written and directed by William Beaudine at his trough, no one ever claimed these were made to do more than to give jobs to the men who had started out as the gang in DEAD END, entertain the kids at weekend matinees, and show a profit.

They did that, in the tradition of Samuel Johnson, who said "No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." While people maunder on about the cinematic arts and who wins the Academy Awards, they seem to forget that the movies are business, and the businessmen are there to make money. Ignoble as that sounds, the great actors, directors, cameramen, writers and others who make movies also want to make some money too. The Bowery Boys offer no advancement in the arts, no examples of great moments, but they did what they were supposed to do.

Terrence "Slip" Mahoney (Leo Gorcey) and Sach (Huntz Hall) are cleaning an empty office. A delivery boy mistakenly gives a letter addressed to Terrence Mahoney which tells him that he has inherited the Mahoney Manor. Only he's the wrong Terrence Mahoney. He and his friends go take possession of the mansion but it's being occupied by criminal smugglers.

It's The Bowery Boys doing some Scooby Doo stuff. It's a bit light fun. It needs more but it's plenty silly anyways.

You know there has to be a mistake when Leo Gorcey inherits a spooky Long Island mansion. Spooky mansions only mean one thing in movies, that there is villainy afoot. Otherwise why would you have trap doors, hidden rooms and the like built into your home.

The place is actually owned by another Terrence Aloysius Mahoney if you think the world is ready for another one. This one is played by Paul Harvey who has a command of the English language, but is a rather tired and put upon individual who also visits his Long Island home where caretaker Eddie Gribbon has allowed a group of smugglers headed by Martin Kosleck to operate.

Harvey and the Bowery Boys come separately on the same night, Harvey to visit his house and Gorcey and the gang to claim it. After that it's the usual group of gags that occur in every haunted house picture.

Smuggler's Cove is a pretty good Bowery Boys film, but I personally prefer Hold That Ghost where Abbott&Costello did so much more with the haunted house genre.

Terrence Mahoney--wrong one

"Smuggler's Cove" is a pretty standard Bowery Boys film, though with less antisocial behavior than usual! The film begins with Slap and Sach working at a building doing janitorial work. As usual, Slap doesn't do much of the work and is mostly there to 'supervise'. Soon a messenger brings a note for Terrence Mahoney (Sach's real given name) and he assumes it's for him...though they also happen to be in the office for a difference Terrence Mahoney...the REAL recipient of the letter. Sach reads it and it says he's the heir to a mansion...and even though all his relatives are apparently poor slobs and he's never heard of this family member, he automatically assumes it's meant to be. After all, Sach is, as usual, a bit of an idiot.

Unfortunately, when Sach and the gang arrive at the place, they don't realize that a gang of smugglers are using the place. What's worse, the OTHER Terrence Mahoney soon shows up and the usual hilarity (?) occurs. Oddly, however, the ending comes awfully easily and abruptly between the two Terrences. Overall, it's the usual undemanding time-passer you'd expect. Nothing brilliant but considering it's from Monogram pictures, this isn't a bad thing.

Another fun Bowery Boys picture from Monogram, the eleventh in the series. This one has Slip Mahoney mistakenly believing he's inherited a fortune from a wealthy uncle. So he packs up the Boys and heads to a secluded mansion to collect, only to get involved with smugglers. As usual with the series, it's a simple story but full of laughs. Leo Gorcey's malapropisms and Huntz Hall's rubberfacing buffoonery are on full display. The other Boys (William Benedict, Gabriel Dell, David Gorcey, and Bennie Bartlett) are all enjoyable. One of the best scenes in the picture has Slip taking inventory of the items he thinks he's inherited ("One baby piano, one mahogany coffee table -- twenty dollars for the both of 'em!"). No Louie the Sweet Shop owner in this one, unfortunately. Martin Kosleck makes for a fine villain. He had enough practice, playing a lot of villains throughout the '40s (usually Nazis). After this, he wouldn't appear in another movie for eight years. Paul Harvey is a treat as the other Terence Mahoney (yes, there is apparently more than one in the world). Amelita Ward provides the pretty. She would go on to marry co-star Leo Gorcey (it did not last happily ever after). Between the Boy's hijinks and a few 'old dark house' elements, this is an entertaining entry in the series. Not the best but far from the worst.